The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-20
FRANKLIN.
Something that Happened Before and During III
Battle,

Battle.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: ] have read
many letters from comrades relative 10 the last
battle of Franklin, Tenn, and will now give
it as ! saw it, i was on stall duty-Aid-de-
Camp to Gen. J. s. Easement, commanding a
brigade under Cox, in the Twenty-third Corps.
The day before we fell back from Columbia 10
Franklin. Gen. Ruger borrowed my COM
pany and posted il we knew not where. At
Spring Hill, on our way to Franklin, we met
Gen. Ruger and Gen. Easement asked him
where my company was. He replied he had
posted il on Duck River, above Columbia, mid
way between where Gen. ChcathGm's Corps
had crossed and the pike we were falling back
on. IL was ROW dark, and Cheatham's Corps
was in camp i'm sight Of our rctreating column.
Easement rebuked Ruger for leaving the COM
pany, and Ruger supposed" Easement had re-
lieyed it-when he knew Easement did not
know where the company was taken.
was now ordered to go back the pike a few
miles 10 where the dirt road led TO the left,
follow this 10 the river, and try 10 reach and
bring up the company. Ii twas iorlOTn hope, yet
i resolved 10 save my company from capture If
possible. As the neet-footed horse l rode was
doing his best covering the few miles 10 where
the dirt road led from the pike, the night air
rang out with the piclet-shots fired at me by
Cheathams line. Reaching the forks Of the
road / challenged an advancing column aud
learned it was our cavalry rear-guard. told
its commander my orders. lie directed me TO
retarn, stating that the rebels were pressing
him sorely, and called my attention 10 heavy
diminishing close in his rear. i begged him
10 form line aud try 10 hold the enemy in
check, and 90 give mo an escort 10 save Lay
company. To this he replied, No, cannot
do so; besides, your company are already pris-
oners, being many miles 10 the rear and be-
tween the two advancing rebel lines"
With anything but blessings upon Ruger's
head ] returned 10 Gen. Easement and re-
ported. lie said, "Wcll, you and have done
our duty; your company is gone, aud Gen.
Euger must answer for the sacrifice
The company heard troops marching on
either side all night aud heavy shirmishing as
We retrcated, but, like Casabanca, never left its
post. Next morning, surrounded by Hoods
whole army, il surrendered and started for
prison hells in the South. In crossing the
Tennessee River two brave fellows mounted a
log. under cover of the darkness. and amid
water and drifting ice, made their escape down
the river, where, three days after more dead
than alive, they were picked up by our gun
boats. Badly frozen in their limbs they were
taken TO Paducha KY, where found them the
next February. Highberger and Montgomery
were the names of these heroes, and whatever
became of them l know not. The rest of the
company that Was captured went on TO prison,
and were only released at the close of the war.
returning nome upon the lll-SldET6u
which blew up near Memphis, Tenn, most of
them who escaped death in prison found
watery graves. few swan ashore, / learned,
but who or where they are do not know.
The army moved on 10 Franklin. Gen. Case
ment's Brigade was posted 10 the left of the
pike with its right resting at battery near the
old cOtton-gin. Gen. Reilly's Brigade was i'm
medatey on our right, his 10th Ohio joining
our right, with Kentucky regiment few rods
in rear of the l0ith as a reserve. The fight
opened, and during a rebel charge the 10th
OHIO left the works. Gen. Easement ordered
the Kentucky regiment TO charge and Gil the
gap, which it did in gallant style, capturing
several hundred rebels.
During all this Gen. Reilly, who had been on
the right of his brigade galloped 10 the left and
rallied the 10Th just as the brave kentnckians
retook the works. Here hot words ensued be-
tween Gen. Easement aud Gen. Reilly. Gen. J..
ID. Cox came upon the scene-seeing the broken
line and the 10th Ohio runnng-and just here
one of Gen. Cox's staff was killed. Cox heard
Reilly aud Easement disputing, and ordered
them TO their posts under penalty of arrest If
| they exchanged another epithet. Brave Jack
Easement returned 10 his brigade. with the
proud satisfaction Of having led in the charge
with the Kentucky heroes who saved the line
adjoining the cotton-gin on the right. No bet
| ter commander Of brigade ever lived than
Jack Easement of gainesville, o., and il was
upon his brigade works that Gen. Pat Cele-
burne fell while leading charge. Easements
Brigade stood like a stone wall aud never
wavered during any charge Jack had told
every man it was whip Hood or surrender
that we could not retreat" So the men said i:
"Well, General, Wen never surrender" So
the line was held till the fight ended and the
night retreat to Nashville ordered. j think
that kentucky regiment was either the 18th or
| 10Th. and il the l0ith Ohio undertake TO gain
say these truths, i trust its survivors will come
/ to the front and substantiate this. Gen. Case
ment will remember me as his Aid from the
old l2ith Ind" as he used to call me.
Now, comrades, remember all this occurred
away 10 the left of the pike and has nothing
TO do with the breach on or near the pike.
would be pleased to receive letters from Gen
Easement and every member of his staff, AS also
from any survivors Of our company, which Gen.
Kruger sacrifed.-S. L. CONNER, Willow Springs